Preparing for the twenty-first century is a common theme that echoes
through society. In education, the move into the new millennium provides
an impetus to examine our delivery methods. This generation of students
use remote controls and order fast food, therefore they expect flexibility
in education; thus educators are seeking to provide alternative delivery
methods. One of the first steps embraced by many institutions is the creation
of interactive video studios. The classroom becomes loosely defined and
students may participate with other students that are hundreds of miles
away. As we transition into a new system, we must take this opportunity
to update, revise and recognize good practices as well as those that may
need improvement. Because the move necessitates change, we should examine
current practices and mold them to meet new standards.

One of the most important confirmations for experienced teachers moving
to a tele-teaching environment, is the realization that good teachers in
traditional classrooms can become good teachers in interactive classrooms
by making a conscious decision to seek effective techniques to providing
quality education.

When a new instructor walks into an interactive classroom, he is initially
overwhelmed with the technology. It is important to allow that to pass
and focus on how the technology can support the content, not how the content
can support the technology. In other words, don’t try to incorporate every
technological component initially. As your comfort level increases, add
a component. One technique we use to provide that comfort level to Cameron
University instructors is to provide a week of training. We state to the
instructors that this week will be spent focusing on technology, not content.
This focus gives them a level starting point—they are all beginners. The
"rookie" mentality allows the participants to let down their guards and
learn. Our in class presentations are specified as non-discipline oriented.
Generally, participants choose relaxed topics such as fishing or knitting.
We even had one group present personality profiles according to shoe types.
The alternative of allowing discipline specific presentations leaves the
participants in the "teacher" mode of "what do I know that you need to
know." After the weeklong technology focus, they gain a level of comfort
so that the focus can shift to content and the technology becomes second
nature.

During the training sessions, effective strategies for interactive teaching
are discussed. One of the most important is fostering interaction among
the remote sites. There are several techniques that are important to "bridging
the gap." One important consideration is to create involvement. Initially,
the instructor must make a conscious effort to involve students at the
remote sites. Jodi Reed and Merry Woodruff, authors of Using Compressed
Video for Distance Learning: An introduction to using videoconferencing
technology for teaching, suggest, "actively involve learners early
and often, using small group or hands-on activities, reading, writing,
discussion and questions to get them out of the passive viewing mode."
I begin on the first day with a "meet your neighbor" type activity. This
activity may be a trivia-oriented "introduce your neighbor" or the memory
game introducing yourself and all of those before you. This is another
non-threatening activity that allows the students to gain experience with
the equipment without the pressure of answering questions.

A consideration to remember when speaking to students via cameras is
to keep what the Teletraining Institute in Stillwater Oklahoma term as
"aesthetic distance." If you have control of your cameras, do not zoom
in too tightly. Keep a comfortable distance. That distance may be determined
by including the students elbows in the frame. Never zoom in to include
a "News Anchor" head and shoulders shot. This causes discomfort and achieves
the opposite of the desired effect.

One phenomenon you will notice after teaching in this medium is your
association of voices, rather than faces, to names. Unless you are an auditory
learner, this is a new focus for you. Once barriers are broken through
non-threatening activities, continue incorporating remote students by furthering
discussion. Move beyond the inhibitions of technology by providing opportunities
for interaction. Students may simply respond to questions, have open-mic.
discussions, or give individual reports. Telecourse professors should intentionally
create interaction. Thomas Cyrs, author of Teaching at a Distance with
the Merging Technologies, promotes scripting classroom activities.
He suggests that an instructor go no longer than seven to ten minutes without
inviting student participation (86). "Current literature on cooperative
and active learning indicates significant improvement in learning and retention
if students are actively involved in their own learning" (39). Cyrs suggests
students should be involved at least thirty, preferably fifty percent of
the teleclass time (86).

Another area of change is in communication. Professors must modify traditional
office hours. Because sites may be hundreds of miles apart, an ITV instructor
must provide alternative methods of interchange. This is one of the positive
aspects. Some options are email, fax, phone, on-air office hours or news
servers such as Hypernews. The nature of a composition course promotes
text-based communication, so email has been successful for me. My students
will ask specific questions that they might not ask face to face.

Correspondence with students becomes more important in this medium.
To make a connection to the remote student, the instructor should make
an effort to correspond individually with the students. Some email messages
that might be conveyed are such things as greetings, current grades, assignments,
or even site to site discussions. It is also meaningful to students to
communicate traditionally at some point. I am close enough to my remote
students that I go to the remote sites and broadcast from there. While
there, I schedule five minute appointments to discuss student frustrations
and individual progress in the course. If you are unable to travel, consider
telephone or on-air appointments that will allow one on one traditional
communication. These methods of communication break down many of the traditional
barriers between student and professor.

Unique to video instruction is the focus on facial expressions. Verbal
and nonverbal skills must be developed. The instructor’s on camera attitude
may further incorporate or distance remote students. ITV teachers must
always be aware of camera presence and providing a positive image, welcoming
students into your distant classroom. Verbal intonation carries heavier
weight too. Students recognize tone and feel the distance or feel welcomed.

Though it is true that an effective teacher in the traditional classroom
can be effective in the interactive video classroom, Reed & Woodruff
note that it also amplifies poor teaching styles and strategies. They suggest
devoting greater than normal effort toward preparation and development
of instructional strategies to actively engage learners. It is necessary
to use a variety of techniques to provide content and keep interest levels
high. "Regular television is a passive medium, but instructional television
is inherently active. Student passivity promotes student lethargy" (Cyrs,
36). These students watch television daily, and when they get bored, they
pick up the remote control and change channels. With that awareness, the
instructor becomes the remote and incorporates variety by adding audio,
video, graphics, using presentation software, pulling in web pages, allowing
student led discussions or even inviting guest speakers to share different
perspectives. Format options include lecture, team teaching, cooperative
groups, demonstrations, panel discussions, or case studies among other
traditional formats. Another technique I use is silence. When learners
are sharing in cooperative groups, I may place a graphic or leave a question
on the monitor and turn my audio off. This allows complete involvement
in the small groups rather than distraction by movement on the monitor.

Formative evaluation identifies weaknesses in teaching. The ITV instructor
may create an evaluation that allows students to comment about the success
of the class. We provide a scaled questionnaire on which students respond
to statements such as:

Setting up the equipment delays class.
The instructor can be heard clearly
I feel welcome to participate in class.
My learning would be different in a traditional class.
Using the microphone is bothersome.

These questions focus on techniques, not instruction. Students are rating
the use of equipment, not the ability to provide interesting content. By
using a scale, the instructor recognizes deficiencies and revises accordingly.

Clearly, preparation for an ITV course takes much more time than traditional
courses. Cyrs suggest that it may take three to five times longer to develop
the first course, reducing to two to three times with experience (39).
We have a discussion group that meets periodically throughout the semester
to celebrate success and vent frustrations as well as update new techniques
or train on new equipment.

ITV instructors create success by being aware of the necessity for change
when transitioning into the distant environment. The key to success lies
in the flexibility of the instructor. He must be pliable. As with any technology,
components will fail and equipment may not work properly, but the class
will not fail if the instructor is flexible, allowing shifts in planned
procedures. Always have a secondary plan.